Cabinet Approves 92 GWh Energy Storage Scheme, Critical Minerals Push

Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced major Cabinet decisions aimed at strengthening India's energy infrastructure and boosting domestic manufacturing through critical mineral processing.

Addressing the media, Vaishnaw said approval had been granted for energy storage schemes with a combined capacity of 92 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The initiative will focus on developing grid-scale energy storage infrastructure across the country in collaboration with state governments.

Of the total approved capacity, 30 GWh will be dedicated to battery energy storage, while 60 GWh will be allocated to pumped-hydro storage. The initiative is expected to strengthen grid stability, improve energy storage capabilities and support India's growing energy requirements.

In another significant decision, the Union Cabinet approved a scheme for the processing of critical minerals, covering all 24 identified critical minerals.

The scheme will support the processing of raw critical minerals sourced through both mining and recycling, preparing them for use in advanced manufacturing processes.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Vaishnaw said it would provide a major boost to India's manufacturing ecosystem, particularly in sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, batteries, defence, heavy equipment and machinery.

These industries depend heavily on critical minerals for their production and technological advancement.

The two decisions underline the government's focus on strengthening India's energy security, developing domestic critical mineral processing capabilities and reducing vulnerabilities in strategic supply chains.

Together, the initiatives are expected to support India's clean energy transition, strengthen industrial self-reliance and accelerate the country's journey towards becoming a global manufacturing hub.